Witch of the Ruins (6)
The knight was slumped against the wall. Her arms were bound tight by shadows, hoisted high above her. Her silver armor had been stripped away, leaving her in nothing but her undergarments. But the fire in her eyes hadn't died yet. The instant she saw me, they blazed wide with rage.
“Awake already? Slept well, huh? Your face looks better.”
“……Kill me.”
“Kill you? Why? You're perfectly fine.”
“If you're planning to humiliate me…… you'd better stop. I won't submit.”
“Submit? Never asked for that.”
I pulled dried meat and bread from the basket I'd brought. Then I shook the waterskin. Water sloshed inside, and her gaze locked onto my hand.
She'd gone a full day without food. No wonder she was hungry. Or maybe just thirsty.
“Hungry? Let's eat.”
“No need.”
“Huh?”
“I won't eat anything from a filthy witch.”
“……Hah.”
I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.
Erecting her pride even in this situation. But that's what made her noble—and somehow, that put me in a good mood.
“Your subordinates packed this. Their leftovers, basically.”
“……!”
The knight's shoulders twitched.
I dangled the jerky right in front of her, making sure she saw.
“Food your knights risked their lives for. Waste to throw it out, right? Eat up, get your strength back, and come at me for revenge.”
“Shut your mouth……!”
“Not gonna eat? For real?”
“I'd rather starve than let your filthy hands touch it.”
“Kidding. I let your knights go unharmed, so don't worry.”
“…….”
A lie, of course. But that one line eased the tension in her face. Still, her eyes screamed she wouldn't compromise. Unyielding to the core.
I wondered how long that nobility would last.
I stood and approached her. Her shoulders jerked as she tried to shrink back, but the wall blocked any escape.
“Hmm, right. Never got your name.”
“……I have no name to give a witch.”
“Mmm…… yeah?”
I seized her chin. My grip crushed her cheeks, forcing her mouth open.
“Got a fun idea.”
“……?!”
I leaned over her and parted my lips wide. Saliva stretched from mine, dripping straight into hers. Her eyes went round as saucers. Then her body started thrashing wildly.
“Guh! Guhgh—!”
“Slurp. How's it taste? Good?”
“Guhgh! Gughhh—!”
She flailed desperately to avoid swallowing. It only stoked my sadism further.
“Squirming like crazy. Like it that much?”
“Guh! Gughhh!”
“Want more?”
I went to pry her mouth open again when she finally swallowed—and started dry-heaving. I savored the sight for a moment before adding,
“Okay, one more time. What's your name?”
“……Adelaide. Adelaide von Estia……”
“Good girl. Why not say so from the start? It's just a name.”
I stroked her hair affectionately. She looked up at me with trembling eyes.
“……You mad bitch……”
“Mad bitch? That's harsh.”
I chuckled and grabbed a hard chunk of bread. When I pressed it to Adelaide's lips, she clamped shut and turned away. Nothing ever went easy.
With a sigh, I grabbed her hair and shoved it into her mouth.
“Mmph!”
Adelaide resisted fiercely, shaking her head to spit it out. But she couldn't overpower me. I jammed the bread deep into her throat.
“Gack, guhgh……!”
“Whoa…… you're such a slut.”
Her throat convulsed nonstop. I stared blankly for a second, then poured water over the bread.
“Gulp, hack! Hrrk! Guhgh……”
Now she was choking and coughing. But the bread went down her esophagus anyway. Tears welled in her eyes as she glared at me, pure murder in her gaze.
“There you go. Eat like that.”
I smiled in satisfaction and picked up another piece. Right as I went to feed her—
“……!”
Sharp pain stabbed my fingertip.
I looked down. Adelaide had sunk her teeth into my index finger. Blood trickled down. Her bite was strong enough to crush bone.
“Ow……”
I didn't pull my finger out. Instead, I shoved it deeper, stirring her mouth at will.
“Guhk, hack!”
“This what you wanted? Should've said so sooner.”
“Guhgh! Guhk!”
Her eyes rolled back as nausea hit. Ah. Keep that up, and I really won't hold back.
My blood mixed with her saliva, washing away. Still, I kept violating her mouth. Her bite loosened. Even then, her body twitched for a while, eyes still rolled back.
I slid my finger out. Fresh tooth marks oozed red. A lick filled my mouth with metallic blood.
“Guess I need to train you.”
“Hahk, hahk…… I'll rip…… your throat……”
“My throat?”
“And chew it up…… I swear……”
Adelaide barely regained her senses, panting curses between gasps. Ah, really.
“I like it.”
This was the look I wanted.
Despair and flailing, or pathetic begging—too predictable. No, she had to resist to the end, burning with hate. That's what made breaking her fun.
“Good. I respect that spirit. But you still need punishment, right?”
“……? What are you—”
“Learned a fun trick in the forest recently.”
I pressed a slender finger to Adelaide's lower belly. Then grinned and injected mana.
“Grk!”
Her body jerked up wildly.
“Gaaahhh! Aaaahhh—!”
Screams filled the basement. They went on forever. Even as her voice grew hoarse, the writhing didn't stop.
“Th-this…… ngh! Guhhh……!”
“Relax. Fighting makes it worse.”
She desperately tried to muster her mana against it. But the shadows blocked her flow. In other words, all she could do was flop around.
“Hah, hah…… stop…… please……!”
Her face was a mess of tears and drool now. The noble knight was gone. And I loved it.
I leaned to her ear and whispered,
“Remember this.”
“……Hic.”
“Your body's mine now. Without my say-so, you can't even die or move.”
“……Hah……”
“What do you think? Give me your thoughts.”
“Huu……”
I pulled my finger from her belly, and she nearly slammed to the floor. The shadows binding her arms caught her. Soon, she came to, trembling and panting. Fear. Finally, fear crept into those eyes.
Satisfied with establishing dominance, I spoke.
“Alright, back to food? You'll eat nicely now, right?”
I held up a bread chunk. Adelaide slowly lifted her head to look at me. I smiled sweetly and pressed it to her lips.
“Ptoo.”
“……Hah.”
Blood-mixed spit flew into my face. Sticky warmth trailed down my cheek. I blankly wiped it away with my hand.
Vicious. So vicious. After all that, still unbroken?
It only made me like her more. Truly…… perfect.
“Fine, Adelaide. Let's see how far you go.”
“……Witch, no matter what……! You can never make me submit—!”
The night was long.
And we had plenty of time left.